SEEBECK COEFFICIENT & THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY

The Seebeck coefficient (also known as thermopower, thermoelectric power or thermoelectric sensitivity) of a material is a measure of the magnitude of an induced thermoelectric voltage in response to a temperature difference across that material, as induced by the Seebeck effect. For this reason, the Seebeck effect is a kind of thermoelectric effect such as the Peltier effect and Thomson effect. The SI unit of the Seebeck coefficient is volts per kelvin (V/K), although it is more often given in microvolts per kelvin (µV/K).

The Seebeck effect is commonly used in a thermocouples to measure the temperature differences or to actuate the electronic switches that can turn the system on/off. The Seebeck effect is also used in thermoelectric generator, which function like a heat engine.

Rotalab supplies the most popular instruments in the field of thermoelectrics. Our instruments simultaneously measure the two dimensional distribution of the Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity on thermoelectric material samples.